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Durham, N.C. — For the sixth time in school history, a Duke University women’s golf has been named the winner of the Honda Award for women’s golf as Blue Devil sophomore Celine Boutier earned the honor Monday following a vote of administrators from over 1,000 NCAA member schools.

The Honda Sports Award is presented annually by the CWSA to the top women athletes in 12 NCAA- sanctioned sports and signifies “the best of the best in collegiate athletics”. With this honor, Boutier becomes a finalist for the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year and the prestigious 2014 Honda Cup.

“It is an honor to be selected as the winner of the prestigious Honda Award for golf,” said Boutier. “There have been many outstanding golfers who have won this award over the years and to have my name on the same list as them is very special. I want to thank my coaches and teammates for all their support during this amazing season as this would not be possible without them.”

A native of Montrouge, France, Boutier was recently named the Women’s Golf Coaches Association (WGCA) National Player of the Year and WGCA First Team All-America, following a runner-up placement at the NCAA Championship. She totaled a 71.50 stroke average, three victories, six top five finishes and seven top 10 placements on the year.

"I was excited to see that Celine had won the Honda Award,” said Duke head coach Dan Brooks. “She had a great season, particularly the final, spring tournaments. I was happy the committee recognized the importance of finishing strong."

Boutier was the hottest golfer in the nation during the spring posting three wins and a 70.77 stroke average in seven tournaments and a 616-37 head-to-head record. The ACC Player of the Year led Duke on the season with 20 rounds of even or under par, including seven rounds in the 60s. She collected her first three collegiate victories at the Bryan National Collegiate, PING/ASU Invitational and the ACC Championship. Boutier’s runner-up finish at the NCAA Championship, marked the second straight top-four placement in the final tournament of the season.

“To be sure, Celine Boutier is the epitome of what a student-athlete should be,” said Duke Vice President and Director of Athletics Kevin White. “The Honda Award, voted upon by administrators at NCAA institutions, caps an incredible month for Celine. After leading Duke to its sixth NCAA Championship in women’s golf and placing second individually at the tournament, she was named the WGCA National Player of the Year. This is the sixth time in Duke history that a Blue Devil golfer has won the Honda Award, a testament to the outstanding culture built by head coach Dan Brooks and his staff. There is no one more deserving of this prestigious honor than Celine. We are incredibly proud of her efforts on and away from the golf course.”

On the year, Boutier’s 71.50 stroke average ranked as the fifth-lowest in school history, while her 20 rounds of even or under par tied third on Duke’s single-season charts.

The Honda Cup winner will be announced during the live telecast of THE Collegiate Women Sports Awards show presented by Honda at 8 pm EST, on Monday, June 30, at the USC Founders Club at Galen Center in Los Angeles, Calif.